iPhone 18: Apple plans simpler design for camera button

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The iPhone 18 will apparently feature a revised design for the camera control button. According to recent reports from China, Apple is working on simplifying the current solution and thus reducing production costs. The aim is to retain the button's functionality while making its design less technically complex.

The camera control button was introduced with the iPhone 16 and was considered one of the most striking new hardware elements in the series. It not only allows you to take photos but also recognizes various gestures, such as light taps, firm presses, or swipes. It currently uses two sensor layers: a capacitive layer for gesture control and a force sensor under a sapphire glass surface that registers pressure. According to well-known Chinese leaker "Instant Digital," Apple plans to change this design with the iPhone 18. The goal: the same function, simpler design, and lower cost.

Simplified structure of the camera button

According to available information , Apple will forego the capacitive sensor layer in the new generation. Instead, the pressure sensor alone will be sufficient to cover all previous control functions. The key would therefore continue to detect light taps, forceful presses, and swipes, but without the additional touch sensor.

The principle isn't new. Devices like the OPPO X8 Ultra and the vivo X200 Ultra already employ similar solutions, where the pressure sensors alone provide various inputs. Apple appears to be embracing these concepts to make the system more efficient.

Reason for the change

The reason for the design change is primarily production costs. The current solution in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 is considered expensive and complex. It requires multiple sensor layers under a sapphire glass cover, which not only increases the manufacturing process but also makes repairs more complicated and costly.

With this simplification, Apple's goal is less to limit functionality and more to improve cost-effectiveness. Instant Digital emphasizes that the new solution is intended to offer the same functionality as before. The focus is on a more robust, cost-effective design, which could also reduce repair costs in the long run.

Future with piezoelectric technology

According to the leaker, Apple plans to integrate piezoelectric ceramics into the camera button in later versions, possibly after the iPhone 18. This technology is intended to make haptic feedback more precise and localized. This could make the button feel as if it's physically movable when pressed, even though it isn't.

The concept fits with Apple's long-term strategy of increasingly replacing mechanical components with solid-state solutions. In the long run, physical buttons could disappear entirely, favoring a fully pressure- and touch-sensitive enclosure. It is believed that this technology will be widely deployed for the first time around the iPhone's 20th anniversary.

iPhone 18 series release schedule

The iPhone 18 series will be launched in several phases. According to current information, four models are planned for September 2026: the iPhone Air 2, the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone. The standard iPhone 18 and the cheaper iPhone 18e are scheduled to follow in spring 2027.

iPhone 17: Disable or customize the camera control button

The iPhone 18 as a transition to the next device generation

The iPhone 18 represents a pragmatic step in Apple's product development. Instead of spectacular innovations, the manufacturer focuses on optimization in the details. The decision to simplify the camera control button demonstrates that Apple is committed to efficiency and sustainability in hardware manufacturing without compromising usability.

In the long run, this change could be a further step toward an iPhone without movable buttons—more robust, more compact, and more technologically advanced. The iPhone 18 will thus become not just another model, but an important link on the path to Apple's next design generation. (Image: Shutterstock / Hadrian)